CHICAGO — Brian Dozier homered twice and drove in four runs, Kyle Gibson pitched seven innings of five-hit ball for his first victory of the season, and the Minnesota Twins blanked the Chicago White Sox 4-0 Tuesday night.
Dozier homered in his third straight game and extended his hitting streak to 10 games as the last-place Twins beat the White Sox for first time in seven tries. Gibson (1-5) struck out seven and walked one in his best performance since coming off the disabled list this month.
Ryan Pressly and Brandon Kintzler each got three outs to finish the six-hitter for Minnesota’s first shutout of the season.
Dozier pulled both homers off Jose Quintana (5-8), a solo shot off a fastball in the second and a three-run drive off a curveball in the sixth for his third career multihomer game. Dozier’s 12th homer of the season drove in Eduardo Nunez, who had singled, and Joe Mauer, who walked.
It was the ninth straight game with an extra-base hit for Dozier, the longest streak for the franchise since it moved to Minnesota in 1961. Dozier added an infield single off Chris Beck in the eighth.
The Twins won for the fifth time in eight games and slowed a Chicago team that thought it was on the upswing.
The White Sox had won two straight series after a 10-26 stretch, but couldn’t solve Gibson. It was the right-hander’s best start since he threw 7 2/3 scoreless innings against the White Sox on Sept. 13.
Todd Frazier went 0 for 4 and struck out twice, lowering his average to .198, and Melky Cabrera was 0 for 3 before leaving with a sore left wrist after six innings.
Rookie Tim Anderson had two hits for the White Sox, who again provided little support for Quintana. The lefty allowed six hits and struck out eight in seven innings.
After a 5-1 start, Quintana is 0-7 in his last nine outings despite a 3.18 season ERA.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: RHP Phil Hughes will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. He was already out with a broken bone above his left knee. . 3B Miguel Sano (strained left hamstring) homered Monday for Triple-A Rochester, but manager Paul Molitor said he still has "a ways to go" before he’ll be ready to end his rehab assignment.
White Sox: LF Jason Coats replaced Cabrera in the seventh.
MORNEAU CLOSER
Recent White Sox signing Justin Morneau (elbow surgery) said he feels "more like a baseball player" as he takes daily batting practice. The former AL MVP with the Twins could start a minor league rehab stint next week — he said he’ll need at least 30 at-bats — before a possible Chicago debut after the All-Star break.
That would put Morneau in line to play at Minnesota as an opponent for the first time July 29-31.
"It’ll be weird," he said.
UP NEXT
RHP James Shields (2-9, 6.22 ERA) makes his fifth start for Chicago and faces Minnesota RHP Ricky Nolasco (3-5, 4.95 ERA) on Wednesday night.
